Fresh Sound Foundation Inc
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It supports work in arts and culture, environment, civic engagement and voting rights, and family passions. The foundation is carrying out a sunset grantmaking strategy for 2026–2027, with completion scheduled by June 30, 2027.
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Fresh Sound Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), top state Massachusetts. 15% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,125,000
- +23.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,439
- +23.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $8,206,880
- +5.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (5 of 33, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (38% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fresh Sound Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Sunset grants are by invitation only.
- Review Cycle
- The published schedule lists July 17 as the LOI deadline; the year is not specified.
- Deadline
- The published schedule lists July 17 as the LOI deadline; the year is not specified.
- Contact
Mailing address: 186 Alewife Br 200 Co Tyler Lynch, Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: (617) 354-3814
Website: https://freshsoundfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fresh Sound Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Union of Concerned Scientists ($140K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $750K.
Grant Size Distribution
138 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 138 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states and Washington, DC. The largest stated shares were Massachusetts (38%), Georgia (17%), New York (14%), DC (12%), and Vermont (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Fresh Sound Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 33 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $39K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $38K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 61% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 253% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $685K (2023) to $1.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ceres Inc Boston, MA | Charitable | $75,000 |
| Rockefeller Family Fund New York, NY | Educational | $75,000 |
| Union of Concerned Scientists Cambridge, MA | Scientific | $75,000 |
| New Georgia Project Atlanta, GA | Educational | $50,000 |
| All Voting Is Local Washington, DC | Educational | $45,000 |
| Generation Citizen Boston, MA | Educational | $45,000 |
| American Constitution Society for Law Washington, DC | Educational | $40,000 |
| Emerson College Boston, MA | Educational | $40,000 |
| Fair Count Inc Atlanta, GA | Educational | $40,000 |
| Fresh Grass (Office Performing Arts & Film Inc) New York, NY | Promotion of the Arts | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Fresh Sound Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,206,880 | $1,819,239 | $1,370,311 | $1,125,000 | 41 | $1,224,799 | $1,704,790 | $484,992 |
| 2024 | $7,779,391 | $1,260,111 | $1,139,283 | $910,000 | 41 | $1,008,375 | $1,007,052 | $498,451 |
| 2023 | $7,657,068 | $771,801 | $978,492 | $685,000 | 30 | $817,869 | $568,810 | $507,141 |
| 2022 | $7,990,954 | $921,594 | $935,551 | $699,000 | 26 | $812,354 | $727,127 | $609,979 |
| 2021 | $7,988,269 | $657,208 | $113,955 | — | — | $48,165 | $605,528 | $306,469 |
| 2020 | $7,445,016 | $806,137 | $1,102,681 | $936,000 | 37 | — | $627,685 | $543,063 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fresh Sound Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $485K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to advance “just, vibrant, and resilient communities inspired by healthy environments, vibrant cultures, and inclusive democracy.” Its stated funding areas are Arts, Environment, Civic Engagement & Voting Rights, and Family Passions. Its sunset strategy focuses on transformative leadership, convening and connection, and capacity and infrastructure, in service of work in Arts & Culture, Environment and Climate Justice, and Civic Engagement & Democracy.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of supported work. Ceres describes itself as an advocacy organization working on sustainability challenges, including climate change, water, and biodiversity. New Georgia Project says it works to increase civic participation among historically marginalized communities through nonpartisan voter registration, organizing, and advocacy. Yellow Barn describes its work as promoting the education of young musicians and audiences, while Next Stage Arts Project says it operates a performing arts facility and fosters artistic and educational activity in its community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 41 grants totaling $1,125,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $75,000, with a median grant of $25,000. Its largest listed awards included $75,000 each to Ceres Inc, Rockefeller Family Fund, and Union of Concerned Scientists; $50,000 to New Georgia Project; and $45,000 each to All Voting Is Local and Generation Citizen. Other listed grants included $40,000 to American Constitution Society for Law, Emerson College, Fair Count, Fresh Grass, Next Stage Arts Project, and Southern Environmental Law Center.
For its 2026–2027 sunset strategy, the foundation says grants are by invitation only. Its stated process includes trustee consideration of prospective organizations, calls with prospective grantees, invitations to submit letters of inquiry (LOIs), and trustee calls with LOI submitters. The foundation describes steps toward trust-based practice that include increased general operating support, multi-year commitments for a majority of grants, simplified applications, and learning calls in place of written progress reports.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John F. Burt, S. Jeffrey Burt, and Laurie Burt as trustees.
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John F. Burt
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Burt
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
S. Jeffrey Burt
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Fresh Sound Foundation Inc
How much does Fresh Sound Foundation Inc give each year?
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc gave $1.1M across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $910K across 41 grants.
What is Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $27,439, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fresh Sound Foundation Inc that year got $9K on average.
Where does Fresh Sound Foundation Inc give grants?
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's top state is Massachusetts, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Georgia (17%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (10 grants), Atlanta, GA (5 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and New York, NY (5 grants).
Does Fresh Sound Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 41 grants with a stated purpose on Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational" (20 grants), "Environmental" (6 grants) and "Charitable" (6 grants).
Who are Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Union of Concerned Scientists ($140,000 across 3 grants), Ceres Inc ($125,000 across 3 grants) and All Voting Is Local ($75,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fresh Sound Foundation Inc?
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc reported $8.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $485K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fresh Sound Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to advance “just, vibrant, and resilient communities inspired by healthy environments, vibrant cultures, and inclusive democracy.” Its stated funding areas are Arts, Environment, Civic Engagement & Voting Rights, and Family Passions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fresh Sound Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's EIN?
Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1428363. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Fresh Sound Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fresh Sound Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fresh-sound-foundation-inc-morg_877b82b3a84a49049c2bd715c31bb3f0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061428363_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fresh Sound Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fresh-sound-foundation-inc-morg_877b82b3a84a49049c2bd715c31bb3f0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Fresh Sound Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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